Swollen Areolas After Liposuction and Nipple Reduction

I am a male who recently had a nipple reduction with liposuction. The doctor did not provide any compression and 5 weeks later, I still have swollen areolas and I look worse than before the surgery. What can I do?

This is really bothering me. I started using a compression vest 4 days after the surgery. Should I continue to wear the vest or is it pointless at this point? I am concerned the streched areolas won't return to their original shape.

Doctor Answers 13

Promoted Local Answer

Puffy nipples after surgery.What does it mean?

July 12th, 2011

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Give it 6 months and see if the swelling will improve and disappear.If not you probably have residual gynecomastia,glandular tissue that will have to be excised if you want it to be resolved. A board certified plastic/ experienced gynecomastia surgeon should be able to help you. IN WIKIPEDIA GYNECOMASTIA you can get more information.

Swollen Nipples After Gynecomastia Reduction

October 27th, 2010

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It is normal to still have nipple swelling 1 month after Gynecomastia Excision.

If it is bothersome, compression is helpful. This can be done with Ace wrap, compression T-shirts (available on the Internet for about $20), or special surgical garments (expensive and no advantage over commercial compression T-shirts).

There is a possibility of persistent tissue excess in the area under the nipple-areola. If that is the case, a touch-up procedure could be done, but I'd recommend allowing 6 months for the swelling to go down and further healing to progress.

Discuss your concerns with your surgeon, and take photographs at about 1- or 2-month intervals to document changes.

Swollen Areolas After Gynecomastia Surgery

March 21st, 2015

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Hi forbsey4,

Thank you for your post. At 5 weeks you are relatively early in the healing process. I do not feel a compression vest will be much benefit at this point. However, you should also make sure that there is no other reason for your swelling, namely an untreated seroma, or fluid collection. I recommend you follow up with your surgeon regarding this. As for needing another surgery, I would wait at least 6 months to allow the surgical area to settle.

Male Breast Reduction Pictures

It's Not Unusual to Experience Swelling Following Liposuction for Male Breast Enlargement

April 2nd, 2014

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It’s not unusual for patients to experience swelling
following liposuction for male breast enlargement. The majority of swelling
resolves in four to six weeks, but may persist for up to six months.

The
use of compression garments and massage can help to minimize swelling and
shorten the recovery period following surgery. It’s important to start
compression immediately after surgery before the swelling gets started. Once
swelling occurs compression may not be as effective.

If
this problem persists beyond six months it may be more then residual swelling.
Under these circumstances unresected glandular breast tissue may be the
problem. This may ultimately require revisional surgery. It’s important that
you discuss these issues with your surgeon. He will be able to make an
appropriate recommendation.

This may have been the wrong operation.

November 25th, 2010

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Based on how you stated your question, and your photograph, I infer that preoperatively you only had swelling and/or fullness beneath the nipple/areola complex. This would mean that your degree of gynecomastia was minimal, and likely due to true glandular tissue being present and not just fatty tissue. With over twenty years of doing these procedures, I can tell you truthfully that liposuction alone, without direct excision of the fibrous, firm glandular tissue by your surgeon, will not correct your initial concern. Even when the swelling and scar tissue subside, you will still have the firm tissue beneath this area, minus a small amount of fat, plus a small amount of scar tissue = not much change. Compression helps with swelling or scar tissue, and is certainly appropriate and non-harmful, but compression will not get rid of the tissue that SHOULD have been removed by direct excision with blade and/or scissors. Liposuction all too often makes a minimal degree of improvement in patients with mostly glandular gynecomastia, and really works well only in patients who have mostly fatty "man-boobs," usually from being overweight. Mixed glandular/fatty gynecomastia requires a combination of direct excision plus liposuction techniques. BTW, ultrasonic or laser-assisted lipo may remove a bit more gynecomastia tissue, but still leaves the fibrous, glandular breast tissue and a less-than-happy patient.

Swollen nipples after liposuction

May 12th, 2010

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After liposuction for the correction of gynecomastia, it is common to have significant swelling. Your body is currently healing and tissue needs to settle. It is extremely important to use a compressive garment after liposuction. This garment allows these swelling to subside quickly and also allows the skin to stick to the underlying muscle in a nice smooth fashion.

Swelling after gynecomastia repair

November 4th, 2009

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SEE SAMPLE VIDEO RESTULTS BELOW BY CLICKING MORE:

This can occur for some time after surgery. Light compression can be useful and I often have people covert from the uncomfortable restrictive post op garments to spandex type "under armor" shirts for up to 3 weeks after surgery.

These answers are for educational purposes and should not be relied upon as
a substitute for medical advice you may receive from your physician. If you
have a medical emergency, please call 911. These answers do not constitute
or initiate a patient/doctor relationship.